Could growing your own vegetables and changing the clothes you wear be ways of reducing the world’s carbon footprint? These are just some of the many proposals put forward by Climate Advocates. Read more about their projects.
Climate change poster © British Council
Challenge EuropeClimate change is the biggest challenge facing the world and its impact will affect us all, but inevitably some more than others. Our role in creating the problems is indisputable. Unless we limit the emissions of greenhouse gases within the next decade or so, we know that the economic and social impacts will escalate with catastrophic outcomes.
Small wind turbine and solar panel © Douglas RoberrtsonThat is why in 2008 the British Council launched the European element of its global climate programme; Challenge Europe. The Challenge Europe project is a three year project that aspires to make a definite and lasting impact on the climate change debate, and is ambitious in its aim to accelerate change to a low carbon future.
What is Challenge Europe?
Challenge Europe will set the ambitious challenge to find the best way to make a definite and lasting impact on the climate change debate and accelerate change towards a sustainable, Low Carbon Future.
We are offering young people in Scotland the exciting opportunity to influence UK’s approach to climate change through this new project.
Now in its second year we have recruited a group of people aged 18-35 in Scotland - as part of a wider European team who want to make a real difference to the climate change debate in the UK and internationally.
They will work together with teams from 14 other countries across Europe as ‘Climate Advocates’ to unearth new ways to reduce carbon emissions or utilise methods already available but not yet fully developed.
The issues that they will explore will have local relevance and could include:
transportWe will organise support and development activities for the group to challenge the way they think about certain issues and stimulate new thinking. Although participation is voluntary, we will provide opportunities to learn from experts and leaders across Europe and to develop knowledge, expertise and influence.
What will the project achieve?
We aim to build a network of over 200 bold and dynamic Climate Advocates. Working together we will develop 3-4 achievable and sustainable ideas from each country.
Over the last year all our Climate Advocates have been working to develop their ideas. In the UK four projects have been chosen to move forward to the next stage which will be to find external funding to put their ideas into practice.
By building on these ideas we have the ambitious aim to bring about changes to law, business practice or human behaviour.
Challenge Europe is a three year project and each year we will recruit new people and give previous participants support and opportunities to continue in their role as climate change advocates.
It will address the most urgent global challenge we face today; climate change. It offers this generation the opportunity to focus valuable time and invaluable talents to find real answers to address the crisis we all face.
Find out more on Challenge Europe - Climate Change or you can also contact Simon Raeside on +44 (0) 131 524 5745 or e-mail simon.raeside@britishcouncil.org
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